Improvement in carving-forks



R. W. HALLAM. Carvng-Fo'rks.

No. 203,445. Patented VMay .7, 1878.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

ROBERT W. HALLAM, OF WEST MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO MERIDEN CUTLERY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAMING-FORKS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 203,445, dated May 7, 1878; application filed April 19, 187s.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBT. W. HALLAM, of West Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Carving-Forks; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked there on, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specication, and represent, 1n-

Figure 1, a perspective view; Fig. 2, a sectional view.

This invention relates to an improvement in combined rest and guard for carving-forks; and consists in the construction of the guard and its operation, as more fully hereinafter described, and more particularly recited in the claim.

A represents the tines of the fork, B the shank, and C the handle, of substantially the usual construction for this class of forks. The guard and rest is a bifurcated piece of steel or other suitable metal, one leg, a, extending down one side of the shank, and the other leg, b, on the opposite side, to form the two legs of the rest, the portion d above forming the guard, and hinged to the shank by a pivot, e, through both legs and through the shank, and so that when turned upright, as in broken lines, Fig. 2, the fork will be supported on the legs and the guard serve the purpose for which it is intended. Between the two legs, and in the guard portion, a spring-ton gue, f, is formed by slitting the guard at veach side, and this tongue rests upon the surface of the shank, its free end at substantially right angles to its plane, and the normal condition of the tongue is in the plane of the guard 3 hence, because the guard is pivoted below the surface of the shank, it follows that when the guard is turned down the end of the tongue f, being above `the pivot, will be raised, as shown in Figs. l and 2, and when free the reaction of this tongue tends to raise the guard and hold it in an upright position, as in broken lines, Fig.'2, because in that position the tongue can assume its normal condition and rest squarely upon the shank of the fork.

The tendency of the ton gue f is to raise the guarda condition desirable only when the fork is in use. Therefore, to hold the guard in its closed position, as in the drawing, the upper' end of the guard is made into the form of a spring-hook, h, so as to pass between the tines and engage with the body of the fork, as more clearly seen in Fig. 2, the hook engaging with sufficient force to hold it in its closedpoL sition, and yet be easily removed therefrom.

`when required for use.

I am aware that a bifurcated guard and rest for carvingforks pivoted to the shank is not new, and do not, therefore, broadly claim such a guard and rest.

I claim- The herein-described guard for carving-forks, consisting of the bifurcated piece hinged to the shank, with a leg extending down each side to form the rest, a spring-tongue, f, in the guard above, bearing on the iiat upper surface of the shank of the fork, and hook on the end of the guard, for engaging the guard with the body of the fork when closed, substantially as described.

ROBERT W. HALLAM. 

